By DPA
Washington : US President George W. Bush will make his first visit to Israel and the West Bank next month to steer negotiations between the Israelis and Palestinians and build on the momentum gained during last month’s peace conference.
Bush will also visit Kuwait, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Egypt during the Jan 8-16 trip to keep pressure on them to support the first Israeli-Palestinian peace talks in seven years.
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas agreed to resume negotiations during the Nov 28 conference in Annapolis, Maryland that was attended by more than 40 countries and most Arab states.
“Part of it is to continue to keep the discussions going, to show the commitment and to remind the world that it’s time for everyone to seize the opportunity to make sure that the Palestinians and the Israelis are supported,” White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said.
Bush’s visit to Israel and the Palestinian territory marks his first trip there since taking office seven years ago. He visited Israel while he was governor of Texas in 1998. The White House said last week that Bush would be travelling to the Middle East but did not specify any countries.
Bush launched the new peace initiative partly to counter growing extremism in the Middle East after Hamas militants seized control of the Gaza Strip in June. Olmert and Abbas agreed to restart talks with the goal of reaching an agreement by the end of 2008 that calls for the creation of a Palestinian state.
“This visit will follow up on the progress made at Annapolis in helping Israelis and Palestinians to advance their efforts toward peace and achievement of the president’s vision of two democratic states living side-by-side in peace and security,” Perino said.
The Israelis and Palestinians held their first post-Annapolis talks Dec 12 but amid renewed tension over rocket attacks launched from the Gaza Strip into Israel and subsequent Israeli air strikes.
The Palestinians also complained about new Israeli plans to build more than 300 homes in disputed East Jerusalem, plans US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said were “unhelpful” toward establishing trust between the two sides.
Bush announced the new peace initiative and Annapolis conference in July and sent Rice on a flurry of trips to the region to persuade the Palestinians and Israelis to agree on the parameters for future negotiations. After months of wrangling, Olmert and Abbas agreed to a document on the morning the Annapolis conference began but only after a late effort by Bush.
The White House said Bush would use his visit to the Arab countries to demonstrate US commitment to the security of allies in the region and the war on terrorism and to discuss Iraq and the threat posed by Iran, but has made no secret of the importance of having the Arab countries on board with the Israeli- Palestinian peace process.
Intense lobbying by Bush and Rice helped persuade sceptical Arab countries like Saudi Arabia and Syria who do not recognize Israel, to attend the Annapolis gathering. Perino said Bush would urge the Arab countries to accept Israel’s right to exist.
“At the Annapolis conference we invited the Arab world and they showed up at the conference,” Perino said. “And that was really important. It was an important step. And the president wants to keep that momentum going.”
Egypt and Jordan are the only two Arab countries that recognize Israel.
Israel and the Palestinian Authority reaffirmed their commitment to the international “roadmap” peace plan unveiled in 2003. Progress on the roadmap quickly stalled amid more violence and political turmoil.
Hamas prevailed in January 2006 Palestinian elections but was ousted from the government by Abbas after the militants’ violent takeover of Gaza.
The US lists Hamas as a terrorist organization and has sought to isolate the group while maintaining it is committed to the humanitarian needs of Palestinians living in the impoverished Gaza Strip.